Early
by EmmyGoldsworthy13
Summary: Eli accidentally sees Clare in her bra and underwear. Hilarity and awkwardness ensues. Pure Eclare. One-Shot.


**Hey! So, this is just a cute little one-shot I thought of. I'm pretty proud about how it turned out. Enjoy the story, i'm pretty sure you'll like it. (:**

It was Saturday, and I just got back from my Church Fundraiser. Everyone in my church group joined in the church parking lot to wash cars, and we had been washing cars for most of the day. My clothes are soaked, but I have my bikini on under them. Luke dropped me off at my house, and as soon as I got through the door, I walked up the stairs to my bedroom and plopped down on my bed. I was exhausted. My eyelids were drooping shut, when I heard a ringing noise. My phone was on my dresser, vibrating and playing my ring tone. I sighed, and went to go see who it was. My heart skipped a beat when I saw the caller I.D.

_Eli._

I raced to pick it up and pressed _answer._ "Hello?" I said, trying to slow down my breathing.

"Hey Edwards. What're you doing right now?" Eli asked, sounding excited.

"Nothing, really. I just got back from washing cars all day at my Church Fundraiser." I said, checking the time. _4:07._

"Oh, you must be really tired. Well…Do you want to go to The Dot for a while?" Eli asked, with hope in his voice. "I know this sounds lame, but… I just found a coupon for 2 free coffees, and it expires today… never mind, I'll just ask Adam if you're too tired…" Eli said, with a sigh. I did actually want a coffee, I was so tired and a coffee sounded great, right now.

"No, I'd love to go. I just want to take a shower first." I told him, with a small smile on my face.

"Okay. I'll pick you up. What time do you want me to come get you?" Eli asked.

"Um… How about… 4:30? But, I might still be in the shower. I'll just leave my front door unlocked, and you can just come in and watch TV or something?" I asked him. He chuckled.

"Okay. See you then, Clare. Bye." Eli said.

"Bye." I murmured, and then I hung up my cell phone. Even though I was really tired, I couldn't wait to go hang out with Eli. He was one of my best friends, and even though we were just friends, sometimes I wish it were more. I had butterflies in my stomach every single time I was around him. He was sarcastic, witty, funny, and even though you don't expect it from a boy who drives a hearse, he was very sweet. We just clicked after that day when we skipped English, and we've been pretty close ever since. Adam says we flirt all of the time, but I don't think we do. He says he's just waiting for us to start dating, but I don't think Eli likes me the same way that I like him.

I took my hair down from it's ponytail, and ran my fingers through it. I went downstairs to the kitchen, and put my phone on the counter. I walked back upstairs and into my parents bathroom to get a towel and a washcloth. I walked back into my room and grabbed my iPod and went back into the bathroom and shut the door. I plugged my iPod into my iHome and music began to blast through the speakers. I started the shower and moved the handle to get the water to a decent temperature. After the water began to turn hot, I began to peel off all of my wet clothes. I stepped out of them, and began to untie the back of my bikini. I got it undone, and took off my bikini bottom. I stepped into the shower, and the warm water felt so nice. I let the water hit my face, and it felt amazing. I began to rub my shampoo into my hair, and then rinsed it out. I put my conditioner in my hair next, and then washed my body. I washed out my conditioner, and turned the water off. I stepped out of the tub, and wrapped a towel around myself. I dried my hair, and put on some mascara. I walked out of the steamy bathroom and into my room. I put on a light bra and a pair of matching panties, and then remembered that I had left my phone on the counter. _Crap._

I walked down the hallway in my bra and panties, and started to walk down the stairs. I was about half way down, when I noticed Eli sitting on the couch with his back to me, watching TV.

_Oh my God. What if he sees me? _I began to quietly creep back up the stairs. I went up two steps, and then the next one I stepped on made a creaking noise. My body tensed up, and I froze where I stood. I looked over to Eli to see if he noticed, and he had just turned the TV off and stood up, and was about to turn around when he started to speak.

"Hey, you ready to g-" He stopped mid-sentence as soon as he saw me. I let out a small shriek. His eyes went to my chest, and I quickly covered myself up with my arms. His eyes were wide, and his mouth was hanging open. He quickly covered his eyes with his hands.

"Uh… sorry. Sorry, sorry. Um…" Eli said quickly, turning around. I shrieked again, and darted the rest of the way to my room. I half-slammed by bedroom door and locked it. I looked at the clock, and it read 4:36. I was so embarrassed, I could feel my cheeks burning with a red tint. I sat on my bed and put my head in my hands.

_I can't believe that just happened,_ I thought to myself.

I quickly put on some jean shorts, a white tank-top, and a black t-shirt with a christian band on it. I could still feel my face burning ten shades of red. I put some bright blue socks on my bare feet, and a pair of black chuck-taylor tennis shoes. I clasped my cross necklace around my neck. I opened my door, and hesitantly walked to the end of the hallway and stopped at the top of the stairs. I took a deep breath, and began to walk down the steps. Soon, I stood at the bottom of the stairs. I hesitantly looked in Eli's direction, and he was sitting with his legs out where he had stood before. He was staring into space, and I wondered what he was thinking. I blushed harder.

"Eli?" I said softly. He jumped at the sound of my voice, and he looked at me and smirked. I couldn't look at him in the eye.

"Hey…" He murmured awkwardly. "You look good in black…" He whispered. My face grew redder than before. He got up, and stood there fidgetting with his hands. I walked past him, and went to the kitchen counter to retrieve my cell phone. I had one missed text, and it was from Eli.

_I'm on my way to come get you. -Eli, 4:25 p.m._

If only I'd taken my phone with me into the bathroom, I could've avoided this awkward situation. Eli interrupted my thoughts.

"Um… Are you ready to go, now?" Eli said softly, looking at me. I walked into the living room. I still couldn't look him in the eye. My face still burned.

"…Yeah. Let's go." I muttered without looking at him. This is one of the most embarrassing and awkward things that has ever happened to me. Eli opened the front door, and stood next to it, moving his hand and motioning me out the door. I muttered a quiet thanks as I stepped down my front steps and walked in front of me to open the passenger door for me. I stepped in and sat down, and Eli shut the car door. He ran around the front of the car and opened the driver's side door, and sat down and shut the door. He turned Morty on, and the engine grumbled as the hearse started, and he started to drive to The Dot. There was an uncomfortable silence in the car, and I didn't like it at all. I clicked the _play_ button on the stereo. Music blasted through the speakers, and it was a song I knew.

_Driving home in the pouring rain,_

_I'm getting tired of the song that's playing._

_All I wanted is a reason,_

_You gotta give me something._

_You know it's really hard to concentrate,_

_I'm getting tired of the song that's playing. _

_Don't tell me you're waiting. _

_I would be all you wanted._

I loved this song and I started to hum along to the rest of it. I felt Eli glance at me a few times, but I avoided looking at him. I was still really embarrassed, and I wrapped my arms around myself and turned my body towards the car door. I heard Eli sigh. The song ended, and Eli pulled into the parking lot of The Dot. He stepped out and ran around to open my door for me, but before he got to me, I opened it myself and stepped out. He stopped in his tracks, and had a hurt expression on his face as he looked at the ground. He turned around, and headed into The Dot, holding the door for me. I sighed and stepped through.

I picked a round table in the back with two stools, and sat down. Eli was at the counter ordering our coffees, and he knew how I liked mine. Eli must have been done ordering because he began to look around for me. He saw me and I quickly looked down and played with a strand of my curly hair. He walked over and sat down across from me and folded his hands on the table in front of him. Eli sighed.

"So, you're not gonna talk to me?" Eli said softly, with a hint of worry in his tone. I nodded my head. "Will you at least look at me?" He asked. Hesitantly, I rose my head to look at him in the eyes. He smiled, and my heart skipped a few beats.

Spinner came over and gave us our coffees. "Thanks, Spin." I told him. "Any time, little Edwards." He said, ruffling the hair on top of my head. I giggled, and he walked away. Eli cleared his throat, and I looked in his direction.

"Are you mad at me?" Eli asked, his smile fading. I shook my head. I definitely wasn't mad, I was just mortified that Eli saw me in my bra and panties. "Then why won't you talk to me?" He asked, drawing circles on the top of my hand, and he left trails of fire everywhere he touched. I took a deep breath, and blew it out slowly.

"Because I'm embarrassed!" I squeaked out quickly, pulling my hand away and clasping them together.

"Why?" Eli asked, confused. Is he really _that_ stupid? I gave him an '_are you kidding me?_!' look, and he put his hands up in mock surrender.

"BECAUSE YOU PRACTICALLY SAW ME NAKED!" I shouted, slamming my hands on the table. Eli and I looked around, and almost everyone was looking at us strangely. I coughed awkwardly. Eli did the same.

"You weren't naked. You had underwear and a bra on." Eli said in a hushed tone, with a smirk on his face. I squealed and hid my face in my hands. Eli chuckled. I stayed like that for a minute, and then took my hands away from my face and continued to talk.

"I know, but I didn't know you were there! And when I tried to quietly go back up the stairs, the damn stair squeaked!" I said, with a disgruntled face afterwards. I crossed my arms. Eli laughed, with a huge smile on his face.

"You-" He laughed. "-are so cute when you're embarrassed." He said, chuckling. I blushed blood red, and that only made him laugh harder. "Why do you even care that I saw you like that? Everything was covered up, anyway." Eli muttered, stirring his coffee with a thin, brown straw. I scoffed.

"Because it's my bra and panties, Eli! You don't even know what it's like. Besides, I'm not skinny like other girls, either…" I said softly, taking a sip of my coffee. Eli's eyes widened, and he scoffed and looked up to the ceiling.

"Clare!" Eli half-yelled in disbelief, "You are skinny! You just have curves! I like curves much better on a girl than stick-skinny." Eli said. My face grew red. But then his eyes widened. "Not that… Not that I like you, or anything…" He muttered looking at his hands. I smiled at how adorable he can be sometimes.

"Thanks, Eli… It's just, you're my friend, and you're a guy… and it's just embarrassing for you to see me… in that sense." I told him, trying to explain how I felt about the whole situation. Realization came on his expression, and I felt smug.

"Ahh, I get it." Eli said, smirking and then picking up his coffee cup and taking a few sips. "So, we're okay now? No more awkwardness?" Eli asked with a hopeful expression on his face.

"Yeah. We're okay." I said, smiling. His face mirrored mine and I quickly looked away.

"But, I'm not gonna' lie. It _was _pretty awesome." Eli said, winking, and taking a sip of his coffee. I smacked him on the arm playfully, and he almost spit out his coffee. He wiped his chin with his hand.

"Ouch, lady!" He said, rubbing his arm. I laughed while shaking my head. I picked up my mug and took a few large sips, and then realized that my coffee was gone. I sighed.

"Refill?" Eli asked, with a smirk on his face. I wanted to stare at that smirk forever. Eli cleared his throat, gaining my attention. He raised one eyebrow and his signature smirk was back on his face.

"Um… n-no thanks." I stutter. He chuckled.

"I just have one question for you." Eli said, taking another sip of his coffee.

"Go for it." I told him with a small smile on my face.

"Um… Do you normally walk around your house in your undergarments?" Eli said, breaking out in a fit of laughter. I joined in.

"Only when my parents aren't home." I said playfully, giggling along with him. Eli chuckled a few last times, and then took a few large drinks of his coffee until it was gone. I yawned as I leaned my chin on my hand. I was still extremely tired from all of the car washing I did today.

"Tired?" Eli said, with a smirk on his face. I nodded with a knowing smile on my face. He knew me so well. "Okay, I'll just go pay, and then I'll take you home." Eli said, about to get up, when I put my hand on his arm, making him stop in his tracks and turn to look at my strangely.

"Wait, Eli, I thought you had a coupon." I said, confused. Eli's signature smirk was back on his face as he said, "I lied. I just wanted to hang out with you." My heart fluttered. _Eli Goldsworthy lied, just so he could hang out with me._

"I would have gone even if you didn't have a coupon." I told him, smiling.

"Good to know." Eli said, giving me a wink and then smirking. I blushed and bit my lip, and he turned and began to walk to the register. When I though he was out of hearing range, I whispered something.

"_I wouldn't have missed it for the world." _I whispered quietly enough so Eli couldn't hear. Or, so I thought. Eli turned around in a split second, and gave me the biggest smile I think I have ever seen from him. My eyes were wide. _Shit, he heard me_, I thought to myself. I blushed a deep red, and looked down at the intricate design on the table in front of me. My heart was beating rapidly from the smile he gave me, but my cheeks were burning ten shades of red. I heard his footsteps walking farther away and towards the register. I let out the breath I didn't know I'd been holding. I watched him talk with Peter, and then put money on the counter. He didn't wait for his change. Eli walked over to our table.

"Come on." Eli said softly, taking my hand. I felt electricity flow through my entire body, and I jumped. I stared at our hands, and then seemed to fit together perfectly. Eli looked at our hands, too, and he just smirked and pulled my along until we were at the exit. Eli opened the door for me, and I smiled as I walked through. Next thing I knew, Eli darted in front of me and went towards the passenger door to open it for me.

"Eli, you don't have to do that every ti-" I started to say, but Eli cut me off.

"I _want _to." He told me, with a serious face. I giggled, and Eli smiled. I walked over to where he was standing, and quickly sat down in the seat.

"Thank you." I said quietly, nodding my head once with a small smile on my face.

"My pleasure." Eli said with a smirk as he shut the door. He ran around the front of the hearse and got in the drivers side. He pulled out of The Dot, and began driving towards my house.

"What's your favorite song?" He asked suddenly, keeping his eyes on the road. His question took me by surprise, so I thought about it for a minute. "Clare?" Eli asked, taking a short glance at me, and then looking back at the road.

"One minute. I'm thinking." I said, deciding my answer. "Ummm… Probably _Paisley Jacket_ by _Dead Hand._" His eyes widened.

"You're serious?" Eli asked, obviously surprised and in awe of my answer. I nodded.

"Yeah, I love Dead Hand." I said, biting my lip shyly.

"They're my favorite band." Eli said matter-of-factly. "I went to go see them twice. My dad's a disc-jockey, so he gets free tickets all the time." He finished with a smirk. My eyes widened.

"That's pretty cool. I've never seen them in concert…" I said, trailing off, thinking of what it would be like.

"Well, if my dad ever gets tickets again, you should come with me to see them." Eli said coolly, nodding a few times. I squealed.

"Oh my gosh, I would love you forever!" I told him, giving him a side hug while jumping a little bit in the seat. He laughed huskily and started to shrug me off in a hurry.

"Uh, I'm driving over here!" Eli said jokingly with an incredulous face, and I giggled and scooted over to my side of the seat.

"Sorry." I said, still laughing a few last times. Eli pulled into my driveway, and got out to get my door again. He opened it, and had an expectant face. I smiled a little bit while rolling my eyes, and stepped out and he shut the door for me. He walked me up to my front step, and the automatic porch-light clicked on.

"Thanks for the coffee, Eli. I had a great time. Again, sorry about the whole… undergarment thing." I said, blushing a shade of pink while laughing and looking down at the doormat.

"You're welcome. And, don't say sorry…" Eli said, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.

"Eli!" I said, as I made an incredulous face at his comment, and he threw both of his hands up in mock surrender.

"Don't hit me!" He said acting like he was scared and guarding his face playfully with his hands. I laughed and shook my head at his cuteness. Eli put his hands down and was soon laughing with me.

"Well, I think I'm gonna' go take a nap. I had a long day." I said while yawning and poking him in the chest with my index finger. Eli put on his signature smirk as he thought of a comment.

"Have nice dreams about me." Eli said with a smirk, and putting his hands in his pockets. I scoffed.

"Pshhh, you wish, Eli." I told him while putting my hand on the doorknob. He chuckled. But then, an idea came into my mind. I leaned up and planted a kiss on his cheek. He looked shocked. I put on a smirk of my own.

"G'night, Eli. Thanks again." I said, twisting the doorknob and opening the door, waving as I stepped through. Eli stood there, with his hand on his cheek.

"B-bye, Clare…" He stuttered, looking stunned. I giggled.

"Bye." I said softly, one last time before I shut my front door. I walked to the window, and watched Eli get into his hearse. He saw me and smiled while he raised his hand to wave at me. I waved back. He started up Morty, and began to back out of my driveway. He looked again and I blew a kiss to him playfully. His face brightened as he reached up and caught it, and thumped his hand to his cheek. I giggled, and waved again. He waved as he drove away.

And I couldn't keep the smile off of my face.

**End of One-Shot. **

**I liked it, but did you? Comments, Suggestions... Anything at all? Please Revieww! And if you like my writing, subscribe to me. I have a few more ideas for some stories, and hopefully they'll be up in the next few weeks (: . **


End file.
